1. Development of Practical Skills in Physics

1.1 Experimental Design

1.1.1 Experimental Design

1.1.2 Control Variables

1.1.3 Refining of Experimental Design

1.1.4 Investigative Approaches & Methods

1.1.5 Using Practical Equipment & Materials

1.1.6 Appropriate Units for Measurements

1.2 Handling Data

1.2.1 Presenting & Interpreting Results

1.2.2 Analysing Quantitative Data

1.2.3 Plotting & Interpreting Graphs

1.2.4 Evaluating Results & Drawing Conclusions

1.2.5 Observations & Measurements

1.2.6 Presenting in a Scientific Way

1.2.7 Use of Software & Tools

1.2.8 Research & Citation Skills

1.2.9 Precision, Accuracy & Experimental Limitations

1.2.10 Significant Figures

1.2.11 Methods to Increase Accuracy

1.3 Use of Measuring Instruments & Electrical Equipment

1.3.1 Using Appropriate Instruments & Techniques

1.3.2 Analogue Apparatus & Interpolation

1.3.3 Use of Digital Instruments

1.3.4 Stopwatch & Light Gates

1.3.5 Calipers, Micrometers & Vernier Scales

1.3.6 Circuits

1.3.7 Signal Generators & Oscilloscope

1.3.8 Using a Laser or Light Source

1.3.9 Computer Modelling & Data Logger

1.3.10 Ionising Radiation & Detectors

2. Foundations of Physics

2.1 Physical Quantities & Units

2.1.1 Physical Quantities

2.1.2 SI Units

2.1.3 Homogeneity of Physical Equations & Powers of Ten

2.1.4 Labelling Graphs & Tables

2.2 Measurements & Uncertainties

2.2.1 Sources of Uncertainty

2.2.2 Calculating Uncertainties

2.2.3 Determining Uncertainties from Graphs

2.3 Scalars & Vectors

2.3.1 Scalars & Vectors

2.3.2 Combining Vectors

2.3.3 Resolving Vectors

3. Forces & Motion

3.1 Kinematics

3.1.1 Displacement, Velocity & Acceleration

3.1.2 Motion Graphs

3.1.3 Displacement & Velocity-Time Graphs

3.2 Linear & Projectile Motion

3.2.1 SUVAT Equations

3.2.2 Investigating Motion & Collisions

3.2.3 Acceleration & Free Fall

3.2.4 Braking & Reaction Times

3.2.5 Projectile Motion

3.3 Dynamics

3.3.1 Force & Acceleration

3.3.2 Weight

3.3.3 Tension, Normal force, Upthrust & Friction

3.3.4 Motion in One & Two Dimensions

3.3.5 Drag Forces

3.3.6 Terminal Velocity

3.3.7 Investigating Terminal Velocity

3.4 Moments

3.4.1 Moments

3.4.2 Couples & Torque

3.4.3 Centre of Mass

3.4.4 Equilibrium

3.5 Density & Pressure

3.5.1 Density

3.5.2 Pressure

3.5.3 Archimedes' Principle

3.6 Work, Energy & Power

3.6.1 Work Done

3.6.2 Conservation of Energy

3.6.3 Energy & Work

3.6.4 Kinetic Energy

3.6.5 Gravitational Potential Energy

3.6.6 Power

3.6.7 Efficiency

3.7 Materials

3.7.1 Deformation & Compression

3.7.2 Hooke's Law

3.7.3 Force-Extension Graphs

3.7.4 Elastic Potential Energy

3.7.5 Stress, Strain & Tensile Strength

3.7.6 Young's Modulus

3.7.7 Stress-Strain Graphs

3.7.8 Elastic & Plastic Deformation

3.8 Newton's Laws of Motion & Momentum

3.8.1 Newton's Three Laws of Motion

3.8.2 Linear Momentum

3.8.3 Impulse

3.8.4 Impulse on a Force-Time Graph

3.8.5 Conservation of Momentum

3.8.6 Collisions

4. Electrons, Waves & Photons

4.1 Charge & Current

4.1.1 Electric Current & Charge

4.1.2 Electric Current & Electron Flow

4.1.3 Kirchhoff's First Law

4.1.4 Current in a Current Carrying Conductor

4.1.5 Conductors, Semiconductors & Insulators

4.1.6 Circuit Symbols & Diagrams

4.2 Resistance & Resistivity

4.2.1 Resistance

4.2.2 Ohm's Law & I-V Characteristics

4.2.3 Investigating Electrical Characteristics of Components

4.2.4 The Light-Dependent Resistor (LDR)

4.2.5 Resistivity

4.2.6 Determining the Resistivity of a Metal

4.2.7 Thermistors

4.3 Series & Parallel Circuits

4.3.1 Power

4.3.2 Electrical Energy

4.3.3 Kirchhoff's Second Law

4.3.4 Kirchhoff's Laws in Circuits

4.3.5 Resistors in Series & Parallel Circuits

4.3.6 Series & Parallel Circuits

4.3.7 Circuits with Multiple Sources of e.m.f

4.4 EMF & Internal Resistance

4.4.1 E.m.f & Internal Resistance

4.4.2 Calculating E.m.f

4.4.3 Determining Internal Resistance

4.4.4 E.m.f & Potential Difference

4.4.5 Energy Transfer

4.5 Potential Dividers

4.5.1 Potential Divider Circuits

4.5.2 Variable Resistance Components

4.5.3 Investigating Potential Divider Circuits

4.6 Longitudinal & Transverse Waves

4.6.1 Progressive Waves: Longitudinal & Transverse

4.6.2 Calculating Frequency

4.6.3 The Wave Equation

4.6.4 Graphical Representations of Transverse & Longitudinal Waves

4.6.5 Intensity of a Wave

4.7 EM Waves

4.7.1 The Electromagnetic Spectrum

4.7.2 Polarisation

4.8 Refraction & Reflection

4.8.1 Refraction

4.8.2 Total Internal Reflection

4.8.3 Wave Phenomena

4.9 Superposition & Stationary Waves

4.9.1 Superposition

4.9.2 Graphical Representation of Superposition

4.9.3 Interference

4.9.4 Two-Source Interference

4.9.5 Young Double-Slit Experiment

4.9.6 Determining the Wavelength of Light

4.9.7 Stationary Waves

4.9.8 Stationary vs Progressive Waves

4.9.9 Nodes & Antinodes

4.9.10 Determining the Speed of Sound in Air in a Resonance Tube

4.9.11 Harmonics

4.10 The Photoelectric Effect

4.10.1 The Photoelectric Effect

4.10.2 Demonstrating the Photoelectric Effect

4.10.3 The Photoelectric Equation

4.10.4 Work Function & Threshold Frequency

4.10.5 Maximum Kinetic Energy & Intensity

4.11 Photons & Wave-Particle Duality

4.11.1 The Photon

4.11.2 The Electronvolt

4.11.3 Determining the Planck Constant

4.11.4 Electron Diffraction

4.11.5 The de Broglie Equation

5. Newtonian World & Astrophysics

5.1 Thermal Properties of Materials

5.1.1 Thermal Equilibrium

5.1.2 Measurement of Temperature

5.1.3 Solids, Liquids & Gases

5.1.4 Brownian Motion

5.1.5 Internal Energy

5.1.6 Specific Heat Capacity

5.1.7 Specific Latent Heat

5.2 Ideal Gases

5.2.1 The Avogadro Constant

5.2.2 Ideal Gas Equation

5.2.3 Gas Laws

5.3 Kinetic Theory of Gases

5.3.1 Kinetic Theory of Gases

5.3.2 Kinetic Theory of Gases Equation

5.3.3 The Boltzmann Constant

5.3.4 Average Kinetic Energy of a Molecule

5.3.5 Internal Energy of an Ideal Gas

5.4 Circular Motion

5.4.1 Radians

5.4.2 Time period & Frequency

5.4.3 Angular Velocity

5.4.4 Centripetal Force

5.4.5 Linear Speed

5.4.6 Centripetal Acceleration

5.4.7 Investigating Circular Motion

5.5 Simple Harmonic Oscillations

5.5.1 Describing Oscillations

5.5.2 Angular Frequency

5.5.3 Conditions for Simple Harmonic Motion

5.5.4 Time Period & Frequency

5.5.5 Acceleration & Displacement

5.5.6 Velocity

5.5.7 SHM Graphs

5.6 Damping

5.6.1 Energy in SHM

5.6.2 Free & Forced Oscillations

5.6.3 Damping

5.6.4 Resonance

5.6.5 Examples of Forced Oscillations & Resonance

5.7 Gravitational Fields

5.7.1 Gravitational Fields

5.7.2 Gravitational Field Lines

5.7.3 Gravitational Field Strength

5.7.4 Newton's Law of Gravitation

5.8 Planetary Motion

5.8.1 Kepler's Three Laws of Motion

5.8.2 Circular Orbits in Gravitational Fields

5.8.3 Geostationary Orbits

5.9 Gravitational Potential & Energy

5.9.1 Gravitational Potential

5.9.2 Calculating Gravitational Potential

5.9.3 Force-Distance Graph

5.9.4 Gravitational Potential Energy

5.9.5 Escape Velocity

5.10 Stellar Evolution

5.10.1 Definitions of Astronomical Objects

5.10.2 Star Formation

5.10.3 Evolution of a Low-Mass Star

5.10.4 White Dwarfs & the Chandrasekhar Limit

5.10.5 Evolution of a Massive Star

5.10.6 Neutron Stars & Black Holes

5.10.7 The Hertzsprung - Russell (HR) Diagram

5.11 EM Radiation From Stars

5.11.1 Electron Energy Levels

5.11.2 Emission Spectra & Energy Levels

5.11.3 Identifying Elements Within Stars Using Spectral Lines

5.11.4 Continuous, Emission Line & Absorption Line Spectrum

5.11.5 Transmission Diffraction Grating

5.11.6 Wein's Displacement Law

5.11.7 Stefan's Law

5.11.8 Estimating the Radius of Stars

5.12 Cosmology

5.12.1 Units for Astronomical Distances

5.12.2 Stellar Parallax

5.12.3 The Cosmological Principle

5.12.4 The Doppler Effect

5.12.5 Hubble's Law

5.12.6 An Expanding Universe

5.12.7 The Big Bang

5.12.8 The Age of the Universe

5.12.9 Evolution of the Universe

5.12.10 Dark Energy & Dark Matter

6. Particles & Medical Physics

6.1 Capacitors in Circuits

6.1.1 Capacitance

6.1.2 Electron Flow in Charging & Discharging

6.1.3 Capacitors in Series & Parallel Circuits

6.1.4 Circuits Containing Capacitors & Resistors

6.1.5 Energy Stores by a Capacitor

6.2 Charging & Discharging Capacitors

6.2.1 Capacitor Charge & Discharge

6.2.2 Capacitor Charge & Discharge Equations

6.2.3 Modelling Capacitor Discharge

6.3 Electric Fields

6.3.1 Electric Fields

6.3.2 Electric Field Lines

6.3.3 Electric Field Strength

6.3.4 Coulomb's Law

6.3.5 Electric Field Strength of a Point Charge

6.3.6 Electric vs Gravitational Fields

6.3.7 Motion of Charged Particles in an E Field

6.4 Electric Potential & Energy

6.4.1 Electric Potential

6.4.2 Calculating Electric Potential

6.4.3 Capacitance of an Isolated Sphere

6.4.4 Force-Distance Graph

6.4.5 Electric Potential Energy

6.5 Magnetic Fields

6.5.1 Magnetic Fields

6.5.2 Magnetic Fields Lines

6.5.3 Fleming's Left-Hand Rule

6.5.4 Force on a Current-Carrying Conductor

6.5.5 Magnetic Flux Density

6.5.6 Force on a Moving Charge

6.5.7 Motion of Charged Particles in a B Field

6.5.8 Velocity Selector

6.6 Electromagnetic Induction

6.6.1 Magnetic Flux

6.6.2 Magnetic Flux Linkage

6.6.3 Faraday's & Lenz's Laws

6.6.4 Calculating Induced E.m.f

6.6.5 A.C Generator

6.6.6 Transformers

6.7 The Nuclear Atom

6.7.1 Alpha Particle Scattering Experiment

6.7.2 Atomic Structure

6.7.3 AZX Notation & Isotopes

6.7.4 The Strong Nuclear Force

6.7.5 Nuclear Radius & Density

6.8 Fundamental Particles

6.8.1 Antimatter

6.8.2 Hadrons & Leptons

6.8.3 The Quark Model

6.8.4 Beta Minus & Beta Plus Decay

6.8.5 Quarks in Particle Decay Equations

6.9 Radioactivity

6.9.1 Radioactive Decay

6.9.2 Alpha, Beta & Gamma Radiation

6.9.3 Alpha & Beta Decay Equations

6.9.4 Activity & The Decay Constant

6.9.5 Half-Life

6.9.6 Radioactive Decay Equations

6.9.7 Modelling Radioactive Decay

6.9.8 Radioactive Dating

6.10 Nuclear Fission & Fusion

6.10.1 Energy & Mass Equation

6.10.2 Particle-Antiparticle Pairs

6.10.3 Mass Defect & Binding Energy

6.10.4 Calculating Binding Energy

6.10.5 Nuclear Fission

6.10.6 Nuclear Fission Reactor & Waste

6.10.7 Nuclear Fusion

6.10.8 Balancing Nuclear Equations

6.11 X-rays

6.11.1 X-Ray Tube

6.11.2 X-ray Attenuation Mechanisms

6.11.3 Calculating X-ray Attenuation

6.11.4 X-ray Imaging

6.11.5 CAT Scans

6.12 Diagnostic Methods in Medicine

6.12.1 Medical Tracers

6.12.2 Gamma Camera

6.12.3 PET Scans

6.13 Ultrasound

6.13.1 Ultrasound

6.13.2 The Piezoelectric Effect & the Ultrasound Transducer

6.13.3 Acoustic Impedance

6.13.4 Reflection of Ultrasound

6.13.5 Doppler Effect in Ultrasound

Study tools

• OCR A Level Physics · Exam Questions
• OCR A Level Physics · Past Papers